Pan: Tiger Lily, a Native princess. Played by white actress Rooney Mara.
Aloha: Allison Ng, an Asian/Hawaiian pilot. Played by white actress Emma Stone.
The Great Wall: William, a warrior in China. Played by white actor Matt Damon.
Iron Fist: Danny Rand, a martial artist superhero. Played by white actor Finn Jones. (He's a white guy in the comics too, by the way.)
It's okay to be annoyed or upset about a casting choice.
But attacking the actor isn't the way to go.
I remember being pissed about the casting of Tiger Lily in Pan. There are a lot of Native American and First Nations actresses I love, and I'd hoped to see one of them star in a big studio film. I think I might've even signed a petition for that one.
I remember seeing Emma Stone link for playing an Asian/Hawaiian character in Aloha, the #thankyoumattdamon link because of The Great Wall, and the most recent edition of internet outrage against Iron Fist star Finn Jones, which made him need a link from Twitter.
Yeah, maybe the industry needs to give a little more thought to their casting process. Put a little more effort into finding a star that fits the bill instead of just going with a big name. I don't think anyone actually sits there and says, "You know what this movie needs? A white guy." Studios cast actors that fill seats. I mean, how many times have you watched a movie just because an actor you like is in it? At this point in time, lots of the most famous actors just happen to be white.
Fame isn't always the case. Sometimes, they just go with the best person for the job. That person might not always be exactly what fans are hoping for.
But what fans (and haters) need to remember is that it's not the actors' fault for getting cast in these roles. They didn't write the characters, and they didn't cast themselves. They auditioned, and they got the part. That one actor turning down the role you're raving about doesn't mean that the right actor would be next in line for it.
If you want to see more racial diversity in film & TV, make that known. Support projects with the type of cast you want to see more of. Tell your friends, go see movies, live-tweet shows, get it trending. Write to studios and production companies. Don't harass the actors on social media and pat yourself on the back for righting Hollywood's wrongs. That's not helping. That's just being a jackass.
Aloha: Allison Ng, an Asian/Hawaiian pilot. Played by white actress Emma Stone.
The Great Wall: William, a warrior in China. Played by white actor Matt Damon.
Iron Fist: Danny Rand, a martial artist superhero. Played by white actor Finn Jones. (He's a white guy in the comics too, by the way.)
It's okay to be annoyed or upset about a casting choice.
But attacking the actor isn't the way to go.
I remember being pissed about the casting of Tiger Lily in Pan. There are a lot of Native American and First Nations actresses I love, and I'd hoped to see one of them star in a big studio film. I think I might've even signed a petition for that one.
I remember seeing Emma Stone link for playing an Asian/Hawaiian character in Aloha, the #thankyoumattdamon link because of The Great Wall, and the most recent edition of internet outrage against Iron Fist star Finn Jones, which made him need a link from Twitter.
Yeah, maybe the industry needs to give a little more thought to their casting process. Put a little more effort into finding a star that fits the bill instead of just going with a big name. I don't think anyone actually sits there and says, "You know what this movie needs? A white guy." Studios cast actors that fill seats. I mean, how many times have you watched a movie just because an actor you like is in it? At this point in time, lots of the most famous actors just happen to be white.
Fame isn't always the case. Sometimes, they just go with the best person for the job. That person might not always be exactly what fans are hoping for.
But what fans (and haters) need to remember is that it's not the actors' fault for getting cast in these roles. They didn't write the characters, and they didn't cast themselves. They auditioned, and they got the part. That one actor turning down the role you're raving about doesn't mean that the right actor would be next in line for it.
If you want to see more racial diversity in film & TV, make that known. Support projects with the type of cast you want to see more of. Tell your friends, go see movies, live-tweet shows, get it trending. Write to studios and production companies. Don't harass the actors on social media and pat yourself on the back for righting Hollywood's wrongs. That's not helping. That's just being a jackass.
